


Teatime Chat

by WiggityFresh



Category: Fate/EXTRA, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Archer's situation in Extella is weird, Character Study, Introspection, Just wanted them to interact for a bit, One Shot, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,285
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28001967
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WiggityFresh/pseuds/WiggityFresh
Summary: In the dead of night, Nero visits the Nameless Archer for a brief chat.
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Kudos: 22





	Teatime Chat

The Moon Cell was expanding quickly. More humans, Servants, and programs alike were making this place into their new home, and while the Moon itself was doing a fine job at accommodating everyone, the final Master had their own plans of making things even more familiar and welcoming. Archer was calmly sitting in one of the many, many rooms of the Roman palace that had been procured and created by Nero and her army, development plans in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. It was late. The artificial sun had long set, and his Master had to be fast asleep along with most other Servants, as unneeded as it was.

So, his surprise was a bit palpable when he saw the blond-haired sovereign of Rome walk through the doorway, a velvet robe draped around her shoulders and sliding off to a (frankly incredibly) indecent extent. For a moment she eyed the kettle that Archer had used, before slowly turning and facing him as he sat at a small table.

“Emperor,” He said, his tone careful and polite. “What’s led you to grace me with your presence tonight?” He asked.

Nero approached him, sliding out another chair and sitting down with an exasperated sigh. She rested the back of her hand on her forehead, sighing with gusto.

“That harlot of a Caster has seized my Maestro’s bedchambers. A shame, truly. I had been in discussion with that snake-like Rider, and she gave me some Grecian advice on how to commerce with my beloved.” The blonde woman answered with an uncomfortable amount of honesty for the archer’s taste. She pouted, before letting out another long, dramatic exhale. “I was excited to show him the true Flower of Olympia in all of her splendor.”

Archer coughed, bowing his head for a moment as he tried to recompose his expression, before looking back toward the Roman Emperor. 

“If you were planning on practicing with me, I’ll have to politely decline.” He finally replied, his tone deadpan. His eyes shifted from the development plans, back over to the emperor who seemed to be a bit offended.

“I’m supposing you said such a thing in respect to the relationship between my Maestro and myself, and appreciate it, but I’d want you to sound a bit more disappointed. Perhaps more regretful.” She said with a huff. “...You truly are a strange man, Archer. I truly don’t understand you.”

“Mm-hm.” He said, making the assumption that it was a bit rude to be drinking tea while his leader wasn’t, and got up to prepare another cup. A teacup materialized in his palm as he prepared the kettle, all of it an illusion based from 1’s and 0’s, but still felt real all the same. The room fell into an awkward silence, before Nero finally spoke up.

“What is your True Name?”

In Grail War etiquette, a question like that was insane. Even between Servants in a casual setting, it was a bit odd. Although he could understand the reasoning now. Through various circumstances, he was one of Rome’s top generals on the Moon Cell. They had been working together for what seemed like a long time, and unlike the other Servants who were called by their classes only by tradition, he was referred to as ‘Archer’ out of there simply being no other option.

“Who knows?” He said. Not to be coy or vague, but simply because that was one of the best answers he could give. He filled up the cup, resting it in front of the Saber as she picked up, eyeing it (a bit obnoxiously, in Archer’s eyes), before taking a careful sip.

“Umu. I see tea-brewing is another one of your many talents, Archer. I would have preferred wine, but I will accept this.”

‘Wine’? He thought, glancing out the window of the small room into the dark, dark night, before focusing back on her. She stared at him, her brow furrowing.

“I would like an answer to my question, Archer.” She finally said, her tone a bit more stern. As carefree as she could be, Nero still held herself as a ruler, and most people didn’t get to duck away from the inquiries of someone much more influential than them.

“I gave you one.”

“I find it hard to believe you’ve lost your True Name. You’re an Archer, and yet you have more skill with the sword. I had assumed you were from Japan, or another one of those Eastern countries, but you call forth blades from Britannia to China. A blacksmith, perhaps? Muramasa?”

“I’m sorry, but no.” Archer answered. “I simply don’t have one. Still, why the sudden interest?”

Nero paused, her gaze leaving him for a moment as he sat back down, before taking a deep breath. “Perhaps my memories as a Servant are fooling me, but… we know each other, yes?”

He raised an eyebrow, not saying anything. She continued speaking.

“I’m not talking about now, Archer. I mean… before. During the War, my Maestro summoned more than one Servant...”

The Moon Holy Grail War. 128 Masters, battling it out for a wish. Hakuno Kishinami had been one of them, but a strange one, contracting with multiple Servants. It had been unheard of, and gave them a unique advantage during the Grail War to compensate for their lack of real skill or memories.

“A Saber, a Caster, and…” An Archer. Her brow furrowed. “Your face. Your voice. There had to be a reason I trusted you to join me against Velber, despite not knowing your abilities or your True Name.”

Archer was quiet for a long while. His dark eyes seemed unfocused for a long while as the two Servants didn’t meet each other’s gazes. The Servants summoned by Hakuno on the Moon during the Grail War shared one thing. One thread that connected them from the other contracts that the final Master was slowly creating over time. The burning desire to keep their Master safe, not out of obligation, but out of admiration. Respect. Love. 

Why had he tried to grow closer to Nero? To establish himself as a right-hand man to an entitled, arrogant Servant such as her. He didn’t care for Rome, and his obligation to the Moon Cell could be completed in other ways. But, the one that stood beside that haughty Saber and that troublesome Caster…

He wished that he knew. The feeling of being inches away from clarity was a greater torture than anything else, and yet it felt like he was staring into a disturbed lake, unable to make out his own reflection.

He closed his eyes, shaking his head to remove the growing mental fog. “It seems unlikely.” He said. “If you recognize me from the Grail War, it was probably early on before my Master got eliminated because they got unlucky summoning a weak Servant like me.” He said, conclusively. He finished his cup, standing up.

Nero closed her eyes, not stopping him. He reached the door, before hearing her sigh.

“What burden do you carry, Archer, to keep your heart bound in chains?”

A fair question. A good question, truly. As airheaded as the flower of Rome was, she was far more perceptive than he gave her credit for. He just wished she hadn’t asked a question that he didn’t know the answer to. All he had were memories. Memories that he wasn’t sure truly belonged to him, but clung tightly to him nonetheless. That spurred his actions and left him feeling more whole than he remembered.

“One day, we’ll both find out.” He said, cryptically. “...Good night, Emperor.”

“Rest well, Nameless Archer.”

And with that, their paths untangled once more.


End file.
